Making Immigration Work for Saskatchewan

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Making Immigration Work for Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Economic Developers Association
(SEDA) February 22-23, 2006
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Overview

• Saskatchewan Immigration Branch
• Options for Saskatchewan employers looking to
  hire foreign workers
• Provincial Program Saskatchewan Immigrant
  Nominee Program (SINP)
• Federal Programs
• SINP-Skilled Worker
• Employers
• SINP Family members category

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Immigration Branch Activities

• 1. Strengthen economic immigration recruitment
• Administer Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program
  (SINP)
• Provide policy recommendations to government and
  advice to employers on use of foreign labour
  (temporary and permanent)
• 2. Improve immigrant and refugee services
• Facilitate labour market attachment, settlement
  and retention

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Options for SK Employers Provincial Program

• Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)
• The SINP is a Saskatchewan designed and
  administered economic immigration program
• Saskatchewan selects a number of skilled or
  business immigrants to meet provincial needs
• 2005-2006 Fiscal Year Target of 400 Nominations
  (approx. 1200 people including spouses and
  dependents)

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Options for SK Employers Federal Programs

• Skilled Worker Class
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
• Website www.cic.gc.ca
• Temporary Foreign Worker Program
• Administered by Service Canada and CIC
• Foreign Worker Program
• 2045 Broad Street, Regina, SK S4P 2N6
• Phone [phone]
• Website www.hrsdc.gc.ca

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How the SINP works

• Two Step Immigration Process
• Step 1 Applicant(s) complete federal and
  provincial applications
• Immigration Branch reviews
• If approved, Branch provides nomination
  certificate to Citizenship and Immigration Canada
  (CIC) and nomination letter to applicant
• Step 2 Applicant(s) submit federal forms to
  CIC
• CIC considers application after receiving a
  provincial nomination certificate
• CIC does health, security and criminality reviews
  and issues visas to nominees and family members

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SINP Advantages

• Made in Saskatchewan immigration program
• Specific provincial priorities and selection
  criteria
• SINP nominations and work permits are
  fast-tracked through federal immigration
• Economic Immigration Advisors available to assist
  potential immigrants and employers
• Promotes the Province of Saskatchewan to
  potential immigrants

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SINP Categories

• 1) Skilled Worker
• 2) Business
• 3) Farmer Owner/Operator
• 4) Health Professionals
• 5) Foreign Student Post-Graduation Work Permit
• 6) Family Members
• 7) Long Haul Truck Driver Project

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Overview of Skilled Worker Category

• Early 2005 announced expansion of SINP Skilled
  Worker Category
• Designated Skill Shortage List ELIMINATED
• Move from 12 to approx. 250 NOC occupational
  titles
• Employers can now hire qualified immigrants for
  jobs representing about 45 of Saskatchewans
  labour market
• This covers about 200,000 jobs in the province.
• NOC - The National Occupational Classification
  is a system for describing the occupations of
  Canadians. It gives statisticians, labour market
  analysts, career counselors, employers and
  individual job seekers a standardized way of
  describing and understanding the nature of work.

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Skilled Worker Category

• Have a confirmed permanent full-time offer of
  employment with a Saskatchewan employer Wages,
  benefits and conditions of employment must be the
  same as offered to Canadians with similar skills
  and experience

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Skilled Worker Category-Assessment
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Overview of Family Members Category

• December 2005, the SINP expanded to include a
  Family Members category
• Canadian citizens and Permanent residents who are
  and have resided in Saskatchewan for the past
  year, can support their families to live and work
  in Saskatchewan

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Family Members Category

• Family member (non-resident of Canada)
• Be between the ages of 18-49
• Have completed post-secondary education, training
  or apprenticeship
• Have at least one year of work experience in your
  field of education/training
• Have sufficient language capability to be
  employable in Saskatchewan
• Economic resources
• Full time permanent job offer, OR
• Settlement funds (10, 000 principal applicant
  and 2000 for each accompanying dependent)

• Family member in SK
• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident of
  Canada who has lived in Saskatchewan for the past
  year
• Financially self-supporting and
• Provide an affidavit of support for family member

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SINP and Employers

• Expanded Skilled Worker category is more
  responsive to the needs of employers
• Employers determine what occupations to recruit
  internationally
• SINP may be able to provide assistance for
  linkages overseas
• Employment agencies, training and education
  institutions
• Examples
• Ukraine Kyiv Youth Labour Centre (KYLC)
• Germany ZAV
• International missions/fairs

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SINP and Employers

• Provide new options for communities and employers
  to become directly involved in attracting and
  retaining immigrants (i.e. additional points for
  applicant)
• Community Support Plan Employers and/or
  community groups can support the settlement of
  nominees by bringing together community
  representatives and addressing settlement needs
• Employer Settlement Support Employers directly
  assist prospective nominees with settlement
  needs
• e.g., language training, spousal employment,
  housing, transportation, schools, etc.

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SINP and Employers

• A new option for applicants without formal
  occupational certification The employer must
  verify competencies by means of an affidavit
• Applicants with limited language ability
  Employers must verify language level by means of
  an affidavit
• Reduce paper work for employers less onerous
  employer application.

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Contact Information
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SINP Statistics